Dear Sketchbook
by JamesMcMullen
Summary: Relm doesn't keep a diary; she's an artiste, she keeps a sketchbook!  Here are her sketches and impressions of everyone before the Floating Continent, and after the end of the game
1. Chapter 1

There's been a lot a fightin' and stuff around home lately, an' me an Gramps volunteered to fight against the Empire with these rebels callin' themselves the Returners. Silly name, like somethin' outta an Esper-story.

Then again, there _are_ Espers around too, so maybe it's not that silly.

Anyway, I'm gonna draw 'em in you, sketchbook, so when I'm old and wrinkly like Gramps I'll be able to remember all the fun we had. An' that I got to ride around on an airship, too!

Now, let's get to sketchin'!

* * *

><p><strong>Locke<strong>

_A three quarter profile of the lanky adventurer leaning on the railing of the Blackjack, staring at a point of light streaking across the horizon; a shooting star. His eyes are sad, his mouth creased in the faintest frown. Beyond him, in the night sky, the stars stand out against the black like flakes of snow._

I'm pretty sure he didn't see me. Or maybe he did. He's funny like that - always trying to be polite and gentlemanly and that sort of stuff. Not like Loverboy does; it's like this guy actually _means_ it. I don't get it. He's set on the Ice Queen, I think. I don't understand those two.

But when I saw him, it was like he was wishing for somethin' to change. Or maybe go back the way it used to be.

* * *

><p><strong>Cyan<strong>

_The old soldier is seated, cross-legged, against a tree. He holds an ornately folded silk flower in his hands. Behind the tree two indistinct figures - one shorter than the other - stand side-by-side, looking at him._

Gramps told me to leave him alone. Said he was sad 'cause his wife and kid died. Well, I only got my gramps and that's it - no mom, no dad, no brothers or sisters, just the old coot and me, so I'm gonna bother him if I want.

What a guy, though. I don't get him either, but it's different than with Locke and the Ice Queen. He saw me and said hello and wanted to talk and acted like nothing was wrong, like everything was normal. How normal can things be when you're facin' death and fightin' an evil Empire and camping out with a freakin' moogle? I don't understand him. I want to yell at him but then I want to cry when I look at him sittin' there, crosslegged and foldin' pieces of silk into flowers for me an' Terra an' Celes.

* * *

><p><strong>Edgar<strong>

_The young King is perched atop a chocobo, his cape and hair billowing behind him. Ahead, the open desert. His gaze is stern, yet the small smile on his lips softens the image. He is heading into the unknown, and could not be happier. Surrounding the sketch are several dark scrawls covering what may have once been hearts._

Loverboy was just chattin' with Terra while we were ridin' across the desert, like it wasn't any big deal. The freakin' desert! I never even seen one, but he just led us right through it without any wory, like he knew all about it. An' Locke an' Cyan an' everyone, they're all worried about water an' scorpions an' dragons, but not him. He's just leanin' back, all handsome and nonchalant - how's that for a fancy word? Picked it up from Locke! - just rides right on through. And he's a King! Like a real-life, bonafide King!

Only thing I don't get is what's he see in her? I mean...I got magic too! What else does she got that I don't? I mean, apart from, well, you know. Well, whatever; his brother's cuter.

And not a jerk.

* * *

><p><strong>Sabin<strong>

_The monk is in a pool, beneath a waterfall, snow surrounding him. The water parts around him as he stands there serenely, his eyes closed, his face impassive. The only sign that he could be anything other than a natural feature is the puff of his breath in the cold mountain air._

So dreamy~~~~~~~~

I mean, if you like big, cuddly, muscley guys who are nice to everyone an' don't say anythin' mean to no-one, an' carry you across rivers an' deserts, an' scare off any monsters that're in your sleepin' bag before you go to sleep.

And he's not a jerk like his brother.

Stupid jerk.

* * *

><p><strong>Terra<strong>

_The girl is sitting alone, in a grove, surrounded by ancient and hoary oaks. Around her, __strange lights dance and cast their shadows. Her eyes are burning with an inner fire, her skin, too, glows faintly. There is a glint of gold at her throat, the hint of a pendant she never looks at._

I...I don't know what to think about her. I mean, I...I _seen_ her as, you know, one a _them_. An Esper. She's pretty, when she's all glowy like that. Pretty when she's not glowy, too. Maybe that's why Loverboy won't keep his eyes off her. But she always looks like she's sad.

I kinda wanna hug her. All the time.

* * *

><p><strong>Celes<strong>

_The former General stands on a stage, dressed in a young girl's idea of elegance and beauty. Her mouth is open in song, and, in the balcony, a faded blue bandanna can be seen. Behind her, two men - one armed and the other in motley - stare balefully at one another._

Loverboy told me 'bout the Ice Queen singin' an opera, back before me an' Gramps met up with 'em. Doesn't seem likely, so I went to ask her 'bout it an' she told me that it wasn't none of my business. Well, I think it is, so I'm gonna draw it.

Anyway, what's she gonna do if she sees it? Turn me into an snow-girl next time I bump into her? No, she doesn't have the guts! And Locke'd never forgive her besides.

She really needs to get over whatever she ain't gettin' over when it comes to him. He's too nice a guy to just string along like that.

These people, I swear!

* * *

><p><strong>Mog<strong>

_The moogle is standing guard over a camp on the plains. His mis-matched armour and oversized spear would be comical, were it not for the seriousness of his gaze and beast laying dead at his feet._

This happened the other night. Didn't even hear the thing come up to camp, but I guess Mog did. After it was done, he just looked at me an' smiled an' said "Make sure you get my good side, kupo!" an' went back to watchin' out over us.

I hope I got his good side. I don't wanna get on his bad side.

* * *

><p><strong>Setzer<strong>

_The gambler lays across a card table in the hold of the Blackjack, either asleep or - if the empty bottles are any indication - passed out. It is late, the shadows cast by the gaslights are long and the colours are muted. In his hands, he holds a ragged picture frame, but whatever is on the worn canvas is hidden from view._

I don't know why Setzer doesn't hang that dumb ol' picture up somewhere. He keeps it in his jacket an' always takes it out to look at it 'fore he goes to sleep. I guess he doesn't think we notice, and maybe no-one does. But I'm sneaky like that. Gramps always said I woulda been a great thief, if I coulda kept my mouth shut.

I kinda feel bad about it, but I looked at the picture when he was out cold from the booze. I wonder who the girl in the painting is. She's pretty. At least, I think she's pretty - he must keep on touchin' her face, 'cause the paint's all worn there.

He should tell her what he thinks 'bout her one a these days

* * *

><p><strong>Gau<strong>

_The boy is on a precipice above a massive plain that teems with beasts. He is howling at the full moon, which hangs in the sky like a massive, milky eye._

I like Gau. Not like like, but like. He's funny, an' he's nice t'me. An' he likes to dance - an' not that silly waltzin' Loverboy an' Cyan try to teach me, but like crazy wild dancin'. An' he can make every sound a bird or animal can make, an' then some! He even made the sound that fishies make, or so he says. I ain't ever heard a fish make a sound, though, so I don't know if he's lyin' or not.

I don't think he is, though. After all, I got a good feelin' about the kid. I like him.

But not like like. Just like.

* * *

><p><strong>Strago<strong>

_The old man is half-buried beneath a pile of books, his brow furrowed in concentration. Scrolls lay in haphazard piles around him, and a half-completed mystic chart is held on a table by glowing shards of magicite._

Oh, Gramps. Always lookin' in his books. Makin' his notes, and hummin' an' hawin' an' gruntin' and groanin'. One a these days, the old coot's gonna read himself into the ground, an' then what's Gungho gonna do?

Those two, always fightin', like kids. Sometimes I wonder who's the grown up!

(It's me, in case you were wonderin', sketchbook.)

* * *

><p><strong>Shadow<strong>

_The assassin is in one of his rare moments of relaxation, leaning against the wall of the dining hall in Figaro Castle. Interceptor is curled at his feet, asleep. On the assassin's left hand is a small silver ring._

I dunno what to think of this guy. I mean...he's frightenin' to everyone, but not me. Him an' Interceptor, they seem like they're mean an' like they'll eat your face off if you cross 'em, but they're not that bad, really.

The only thing that confuses me is the ring he's always got on. It looks almost kinda like the one Gramps said mamma left me, but the guy won't ever let me see it. Every time I ask, it's "Go away, child, the dog eats people," or "Curiosity will get you killed, girl, best kill it first," or somethin' elese all dark and mysterious-like.

Maybe I'll ask him once we finish off this Kefka guy.


	2. Chapter 2

I...I never thought I'd see this thing again.

Sabin gave it to me, once we got outta the tower, an'...After everythin' happened.

I'm gonna update stuff; I mean, it's been almost two years, an'...

Well, I'm gonna update the sketches.

* * *

><p><strong>Locke &amp; Celes<strong>

_The two lovers - there is no doubt about that, given the way that their bodies are pressed against each other - are standing on a promontory overlooking a sickly-purple sea. They are staring into the distance, arms around each other, tears on their cheeks. Behind them is a small cabin. A pair of white birds have taken flight in the background._

We dropped those two off at the little island Celes woke up on, and picked up the old guy who was livin' there - said he was a doctor or somethin'.

Oh, and you'll notice I'm not callin' her the Ice Queen no-more; I guess she loosened up after all the...well, all the crazy that happened. I can't blame her. An' Locke, too. I don't know what happened between them two in Kohlingen after the...well, the thing with Phoenix and Rachel, but Gramps and Terra and Loverboy wouldn't let me bother 'em.

I snuck past their room at night, though. Heard one of 'em cryin', I think. Next mornin', though, they come out lookin' all sheepish an' tryin' to act like we didn't know what happened.

Terra said I shouldn't a asked how long it took to thaw out her majesty.

I still think it was pretty funny.

* * *

><p><strong>Cyan, Gau &amp; Sabin<strong>

_The old man is watching the two youngsters wrestle with one another. Clouds of dust obscure almost all of the bout, except for the smiling faces of the men._

It's nice ta see Cyan an' Gau an' Sabin all bein' like a family. They said they were gonna go back t' Doma an' see what they could do about gettin' the villages up an' runnin' again. Not gonna lie, I'm gonna miss those guys. I mean, who's gonna make me flowers when I'm hurt, an' scare away the monsters from my sleepin' bag at night?

An' who's gonna teach me 'bout fishie sounds?

* * *

><p><strong>Edgar &amp; Terra<strong>

_The King seems to be in his element, surrounded by small children and telling a story while the woman beside him is laughing and waving a hand, seemingly dismissing what he is saying._

Well, I guess Loverboy an' Terra are an item now; not that no-one didn't see it comin', but c'mon. He couldn'ta waited six more years? Well, I suppose he's her problem now, an' he gets to deal with all a them kids. 'Course, he told her that they could all move back t' the Castle with him. The Castle! With him!

I'm just sayin', she better treat him right.

Not that he deserves it. That jerk.

* * *

><p><strong>Mog &amp; Umaro<strong>

_The sasquatch is charging through snow drifts as high as his chest. The moogle is perched atop his companion's shoulders, his spear levelled in the direction of the distant shore where a dugout canoe sits waiting._

These two. I don't get 'em, I really don't. I mean, we beat Kefka! We saved the world! We had to fight for a hundred years (OK, maybe only like three) to do it, and then what do they do? Get in a giant boat and go out onto the ocean to fight more monsters.

Seriously.

I couldn't even make that up if I tried.

* * *

><p><strong>Setzer<strong>

_The gambler sits in an ornate study, glass of brandy in one hand, and looking at a massive picture of a smiling woman._

I asked him what the picture was all about. He got real mad that I knew about it.

After the whole thing with Owzer, I made him another painting, one a my special ones.

I guess that it didn't last too long, considerin' what happened with the magic and all that, but he told me afterwards he got a chance to say things he didn't before. I guess that's good.

I like Setzer. He's a good guy. Likes losing his money in poker. AND HE HAS A LAGOMORPH.

And I suppose we owed him for fuel for the airship (an airship! I still can hardly believe it!)

* * *

><p><strong>Gogo<strong>

_A figure in a wild assortment of clothes sits cross-legged, furiously sketching in a book._

I don't even know what this guy is. I don't even know if he's a GUY. But he can sketch pretty good, I guess.

Seems weird, though.

But he did give me this:

* * *

><p><strong>Relm<strong>

_The girl sits crosslegged, furiously sketching in a book. Her piebald beret hanging over her face._

It's OK, I suppose. I mean, I coulda done better, but he tries. The kid's got talent, he just needs trainin' to be a maestro like me!

* * *

><p><strong>Strago<strong>

_The old man is asleep in a garden, a stout staff leaning against his chair. Beside him, a second chair with another old man asleep in it. Between the two, a pile of skulls, skins, and empty bottles._

Geez. The very first thing Gramps did when he got home was get Gungho to bring all the booze from his basement and those old fools just sat around drinking while Gramps showed off all the stuff he collected in the last couple years.

It was kinda nice to watch him just relax.

The old coot deserves it.

He's just about the only family I got left.

* * *

><p><strong>Shadow<strong>

_Instead of a sketch, an old painting of a smiling couple with their baby and a puppy. The couple are wearing matching silver rings, and the woman has a small golden pendant clasped about her neck._

I...I guess this was mamma and papa. I wish I coulda known 'em.

Well, I mean, I guess I knew _Shadow_, kinda, but I didn't know _Clyde_.

Shadow seemed OK, though.

I just kinda wish I knew him.

* * *

><p><strong>Interceptor<strong>

_The scarred and knot-muscled dog is sitting at attention beneath a willow tree. His eyes are sharp and bright, seeming to take in the entire world. His ears are perked and his tail is standing happily behind him._

Well, this guy's it, really. Him an' Gramps, they're my only family left, an' I'm OK with that.

I think that me an' Interceptor are gonna go out adventurin' soon. Maybe head up to Doma, see if we can find Cyan an' Sabin an' Gau.

I miss those guys.

And I like Gau.

But I don't like like him.

Not at all.


End file.
